encoding and live streaming solutions. New features in Stream 3.7 include expanded format support including encoding to the Panasonic AVC-Intra format; 64-bit operating system support; cue point insertion for live streaming with Adobe(r) Flash(r) technologies; and enhanced H.264 and MPEG-2 encoding. These new capabilities join numerous additions in the previously-unannounced version 3.6 upgrade released in August, including Dolby(r) Digital AC-3 audio pass-through and updates to Civolution NexGuard forensic watermarking support.

Further expanding Digital Rapids' renowned format flexibility, Stream 3.7 adds optional support for encoding to Panasonic's AVC-Intra format, providing a gateway into the growing number of post production, broadcast and archive solutions and workflows natively supporting AVC-Intra compressed media. Version 3.7 also expands the Stream software's support for the Sony XDCAM(tm) system with import and export of XDCAM HD media in QuickTime(r) MOV containers. Digital Rapids' highly-acclaimed H.264 and MPEG-2 encoding quality and performance are also further improved. The same new and enhanced format support is also now available for the

Version 3.7 adds 64-bit Microsoft Windows(r) operating system support for Digital Rapids' Flux capture and pre-processing hardware. For live streaming to Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR(r) applications, Stream 3.7 enables the insertion of cue points into live RTMP streams (on-the-fly via Web Services API or from files) to trigger downstream events such as advertising insertion or replacement.

Additional new features in Stream 3.7 include multicast support for Windows Media live streaming, particularly noteworthy in enterprises using the Windows Media format for internal communications applications; insertion of Closed Captions from live or file-based sources during encoding to QuickTime files; new and enhanced video and audio processing plug-ins; encoding improvements for streaming to Apple(r) devices; enhancements to live transport stream outputs; and a variety of minor additions and refinements.

Version 3.7 is the second significant update to the Stream software released in recent months, building on the version 3.6 software update released in August. For users of systems based on the Flux hardware, Stream 3.6 adds AC-3 audio pass-through, enabling AC3-compressed audio inputs to be combined with newly-encoded video without audio re-compression or metadata loss. Flux-based systems also gain the ability to capture raw ancillary data from SDI input sources into GXF, MXF or standalone files.

Stream 3.6 also incorporated updates to the optional Civolution NexGuard forensic watermarking module, including enhancements to its imperceptible video watermarking and improved watermark detection performance from pirated copies. Other new features in version 3.6 included integrated Dolby Digital decoding with metadata support and Closed Caption decoding from GXF and LXF input sources.

"Stream 3.7 is the software's third substantial upgrade this year, encompassing dozens of new features and improvements," said Darren Gallipeau, Product Manager at Digital Rapids. "StreamZ, StreamZHD and Flux continue to be the most comprehensive and versatile encoding solutions on the market, and the expanded format support and new capabilities in version 3.7 further reinforce their leadership position for high-end, professional encoding applications."

Vitec Group today announced that the company has expanded the role of Dave Dougall. In addition to his current role as vice president of sales over the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, Vitec Group has added the Asia-Pacific region to Dougall's responsibilities. Serving as vice president of sales for EMEA and Asia-Pacific, Dougall will leverage his skills as a reputable, dynamic, results-oriented leader to develop new solutions that increase sales, improve profits, extend market penetration, and drive financial outcomes throughout those regions.